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W. J. THOMAS.

KILN.

No. 541,218. Patented June 18, 1895.

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Paten-ted June 18, 1895-.

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KILN

Patented June 18, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM J. THOMAS, OF-OANAL DOVER, OHIO.

KILN.

SPECIFICATION fol'lnng part 0f Letters Patent NO. 541,218, dated J' une 18, 1895.

Application tiled May 24| 1894. Serial No. 512.337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Bo it known that I, WILLIAM J. THOMAS, of Canal Dover, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in kilns for and method of burning brick, tile and other clay products, the object being to construct a kiln wherein the heating-agent is more economically utilized and is equally distributed throughout the kiln, and so that the products burned in the kiln can be more uniformly treated by reversing the current or draft through the kiln at suitable intervals of time.

Vith this object in view, and to the eud'of attaining certain other advantages hereinafter specified, my improved kiln consists in certain features of construction and in combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

A preferable construction of kiln embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figures l and 2 are elevations of adjacent sides, respectively, of the kiln. Figs. 3 and 4 are top plans in horizontal section, taken above and below the door line respectively. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5 5, Figs. 3 and 4; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6 6, Fig. 3.

The kiln illustrated is of the quadrangular variety and has four rooms or chambers A, B,

C and D, located in line as shown. Chambers B and O constitute the central or inner chambers and chambers A and D constitute the end or cuter chambers. Every one of said chambers is designed to receive products to be burned. The partition or dividing-Walls E between the end or outer chambers and the central or inner chambers are provided with doors e through which access is had into the central or inner chambers. Said dividingwalls or partitions do not extend to the top of the kiln, but terminate, at their upper end, a suitable distance below the top of the kiln, in order to form open communication between the outer or end-chambers and the central or inner chambers, at or near the bottom, is provided with one or more lateral ducts g establshing open relation between said chambers. Those side-walls of the outer or end-chambers, that are located opposite to the`partitions between said chambers and the central or inner chambers, are provided with one or more furnaces H, and one of the side-walls of said outer or end-chambers that is adjacent to the furnace-bearing wall, is provided with,a door I for access to the respective chamber. The central or inner chambersat the side-walls adjacent to the dividing-wall or partition between said chambers are provided, respectively, with one or more furnaces K. The fire or fuel-chamber of each furnace of the kiln is in open relation with an upright flue L constructed atithe rear of the furnace and discharging upwardly into the adjacent chamber of the kiln.

A horizontally-errati ged flue or passage-way M is shown constructed above each furnace of the kiln,said liuc discharging into the upright flue L at the rear of the furnace, and being adapted to conduct air from outside of the kiln to said upright flue, where the air commingles with the products of combustion leading from the furnace, and thereby improves the combustion.

A series of horizontally-arranged dues O are suitably constructed below the floor of the central orv inner chambers of the kiln, said ilues being arranged preferably side by side, and parallel with each other, and at right angles to the dividing-wall or partition G between said chambers. Holes or perforations P in the doors of said ycentral or inner chambers establish open relation between said horizontally-arranged lines and the interior of said chambers. Said ues O are designed to distribute heat in under the floor of the kiln and heat said floor from below.

By the construction thus described, it will be observed that the heating-agent is generated at all sides of the kiln. The heatingagent from the furnaces of the outer or end-- IOO through the lateral ducts in the dividing or partition wall G between the two central or inner chambers, and, in their passage into and through the inner or central'chambers,

unite with the products of combustion fromvalve or damper R adapted to interrupt the continuity of said flue and adapted to establish communication between duct S and either end of flue or passage way R, and the draft through the kiln is in the one direction or the other accordingr as duct S, and consequently the stack or chimney, is placed in open relation with the one or the other of the outer or end-chambers of the kiln. It will, therefore, be observed that the draft through the kiln, can, by means of said valve or damper, be reversed at pleasure, whereby the interior ofthe kin can be maintained in amost uniformly heated condition, and the result is a most evenly heated and shaded product.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings valve or damper R', in solid lines, is shown in the position required to establish communication between duct S and end-chamber A and to close open relation between said duct and end-chamber D, whereas, by dotted lines R2 in same figure, it is shown in position opening communication between end-chamber D and duct S and closing communication between said duct and end-chamber A.

Duct S that leads to the stack or chimney, as hereinbefore indicated, is preferably provided with a valve or damper S whereby the passage of the heating-agent or products of combustion to the chimney can be interrupted when desired, and valve or damper R can be placed in the position shown by dotted lines R3 in Fig. 3 so as not to interrupt the continuity of the passage-way R. I would also remark that chambers orvpits U are constructed below a floor of the outer or end-chambers of the kiln, said lower chambers or pits being in open relation with the adjacent outer or end-chamber of the kiln by means of any suitable number of ducts U leading from-the lower chamber or pit into the kiln-chamber above. Chambers or pits U are provided for the purpose of storing heat, as will presently be described, and, in order to enlarge their storing capacity, are preferably occupied, to 6o` any desired extent, with checkerwork of brick or other heat-absorbing material.

In the operation of the'kiln, with the draft through the kiln in a given direction, some of the heating-agent passes into and is stored in the pitlocated below the kiln-chamber that (at the one end of the kiln) is in open relation with the stack or chimney and when the draft is reversed, the heat, thus stored away below the respective kiln-chamber, is drawn gow back into and through the kiln with the reverse-draft, and heat, in tu rn, is stored in the pit under end-chamber at the opposite end of the kiln, all whereofis instrumental in utilizing the heat to the best advantage and in obtaining the best and most uniform results.

I would here remark that my invention not only involves the improved construction 0f kiln hereinbefore described, but also `elnbracesthe method of burning products in the 8c kiln by reversing the direction of the draft through the kiln, at suitable intervals of time, during the burning operation, and I would further remark that the draft is preferably reversed about once every hour duringv E the operation.

What I claim is- A kiln divided into four rooms or chambers A, B, C and D arranged in line, substantially as shown, the central or inner chambers being 9e 1 in open relation with each other at the bottom and the outer or end-chambers being in open relation, respectively, with the next adjacent central or inner chamber at the top;

doors leading from outside of the kiln into the outer'or'end-chambers; doors leading from the outer or end-chambers to the central 0l' inner chambers oneor more furnaces for dii@ charging heat into the outer or end-chambers,

said furnaces being located at the sides o( muil said chambers that are opposite to the partition or dividing-walls betweenV said chambers and the central or inner chambers; furnaces at opposite sides of the central or inner chambers; stackA or chimney; passage-ways con la;` necting the outer endchambers with said y stack or chimney, and suitable means wherel by the draft through the kiln can be reversed n t at pleasure, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specificamilf1 tion, in the presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of April, 1894.

WILLIAM J THOMAS. Witnesses:

C. H. DoRER, y

WARD HOOVER. 

